As we cruised the Adriatic coast from Zadar to Montenegro, we were surprised by the climate (Split is farther north than Boston), cafe society, beautiful people, and a history that stretches from the Romans and Venetians to Turks and today's very modern Croatia. Roman Emperor Diocletian built a massive palace and then resigned and made it his retirement home. Today, the palace face has become a series of cafes and shops that stretch a thousand feet along the waterfront.